Migrating to Australia can be confusing because there are different visa options for skilled workers. The Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) is a permanent employer-sponsored visa that allows eligible skilled workers to live and work in Australia. Applicants must meet the requirements of the relevant stream and have an eligible Australian employer nominate them for a position. The requirements can vary depending on the stream and the applicant’s circumstances.
What is Visa 186?
The Employer Nomination Scheme (subclass 186) visa is a permanent visa for skilled workers who are nominated by an eligible Australian employer. It allows successful applicants to live and work in Australia permanently, subject to meeting the visa requirements.
The subclass 186 visa has three streams: the Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream, the Direct Entry stream and the Labour Agreement stream. The requirements are different for each stream, so applicants need to meet the criteria that apply to their chosen pathway.
- Temporary Residence Transition Stream- The Temporary Residence Transition (TRT) stream is available to eligible skilled workers who hold or have held an eligible temporary skilled visa and are nominated by an approved Australian employer. Current requirements include specific rules relating to the applicant’s work experience, nominated position and employment with the sponsoring employer.
- Direct Entry Stream- The Direct Entry stream is for eligible skilled workers who are nominated by an Australian employer for a permanent position. Applicants generally need to meet the relevant skills, qualifications, work experience, English language and skills assessment requirements, unless an exemption applies. The nominated occupation must also meet the applicable requirements for the subclass 186 visa.
- Labour Agreement Stream- The Labour Agreement stream is available where an employer has an approved labour agreement that allows them to sponsor skilled overseas workers under the subclass 186 visa program. Labour agreements may be used when standard skilled visa programs are not available to meet an employer’s workforce needs. The eligibility requirements and any available concessions depend on the specific labour agreement.
The subclass 186 visa requires nomination by an eligible Australian employer. The employer must meet the relevant nomination requirements, while the visa applicant must meet the eligibility criteria for the applicable stream.
Read More: Important FAQs for Employer Sponsored Visa 186
Eligibility for applying Visa 186
In order to get a 186 visa, the visa applicant and also the employer ought to satisfy various necessities, as well as the subsequent key requirements:
- Employer nomination: The applicant must be nominated by an eligible Australian employer for a suitable position under the relevant subclass 186 stream.
- Eligible occupation and position: The nominated position must meet the occupation and position requirements that apply to the selected stream. Direct entry applicants should check the current occupation requirements and any applicable caveats.
- Work experience: Applicants must meet the relevant work experience requirements for their chosen stream. The requirements differ between the Temporary Residence Transition and Direct Entry streams.
- Skills assessment: Direct Entry applicants generally need a suitable skills assessment for the nominated occupation, unless an exemption applies.
- English language: Applicants must meet the English language requirement that applies to their stream, unless they qualify for an exemption. The accepted tests and required scores should be checked against the current Department of Home Affairs requirements.
- Age requirement: Applicants generally need to meet the applicable age requirement at the time of application. Certain exemptions may apply depending on the applicant’s circumstances and visa stream.
- Salary and employment conditions: The nominated position must meet the applicable salary and employment requirements. The employer must provide employment conditions that comply with Australian workplace requirements.
- Health and character requirements: Applicants must meet the relevant health and character requirements set by the Department of Home Affairs. Health examinations and police certificates may be required depending on the applicant’s circumstances.
- Stream-specific requirements: Additional requirements may apply depending on whether the applicant applies through the Temporary Residence Transition, Direct Entry or Labour Agreement stream.
Because skilled migration rules can change, applicants should check the latest requirements for their specific subclass 186 stream before submitting an application.
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The above-mentioned points aren’t the sole requirements that the visa applicant and the employer/sponsor need to satisfy so as to get a 186 visa. These are only the key requirements.
If you are planning to migrate to Australia as a skilled migrant under the employer nomination scheme, you may face many problems. To avoid them, you can contact Migration Agent Perth and ask anything about the 186 visa.
